Spicy Fried Asparagus Stalks Recipes

FRIED ASPARAGUS STICKS

Steps:

• Heat 1-inch vegetable oil in a deep-sided skillet over medium heat.
• Whisk buttermilk, paprika, black pepper, and lemon zest together in a wide bowl.
• Pour flour into a separate wide bowl.
• Place a paper towel-lined plate near the stove top.
• Dip 1/3 of asparagus in buttermilk mixture.
• Transfer asparagus to flour and coat thoroughly.
• Repeat with a second layer of buttermilk mixture and flour.
• Fry coated asparagus in the hot oil until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to the paper towel-lined plate.
• Repeat the battering and frying process until all the sticks are cooked. Serve immediately.

ASPARAGUS FRIES

Steps:

• For the seasoning: Stir desired seasoning combination in a large bowl until well mixed.; set aside.
• For the asparagus fries: Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat until a deep-frying thermometer registers 360 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice and garlic in a small bowl until well combined; set aside.
• Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and lemon zest in a medium bowl. Slowly pour in the lager and whisk until smooth. Dip half of the asparagus pieces into the batter, turning to coat completely and letting any excess drip off. Carefully add a few of the asparagus pieces at a time to the hot oil until all the battered pieces are added, then fry until golden brown on all sides and crisp-tender on the inside, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to the paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Repeat with the remaining asparagus pieces and batter, making sure to bring the oil back to 360 degrees F for the second batch.
• Toss the warm fries in the bowl with the seasoning combination and serve with the lemon aioli.

SPICY FRIED ASPARAGUS STALKS

Steps:

• Cut the asparagus stems in half lengthwise.
• In a wok, heat the oil until very hot.
• Put in the stems and chilli flakes or chilli and fry for 30 seconds.
• Add the water and sugar and cook on a high heat for about 4 minutes or until the stems are nearly tender.
• This may take longer if your stems are especially thick.
• Add the soy sauce and cook a minute longer.
• Serve immediately.

STIR-FRIED SPICY ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Snap off and discard the tough bottoms of each asparagus spear. Cut the asparagus into 2-inch lengths
• In a wok or cast-iron skillet, heat the oil until nearly smoking. Add the asparagus, season generously with salt and pepper and stir well, making sure the asparagus is coated and glistening with oil. Continue to stir-fry over high heat for about 1 minute, until the asparagus looks bright green and barely cooked. Add the garlic, ginger and chile and stir-fry for 30 seconds more.
• Transfer to a serving platter and scatter leaves on top. Serve immediately.

SPICY STIR-FRIED PORK, ASPARAGUS, AND ONIONS WITH LEMON GRASS

Steps:

• Freeze the tenderloin until firm, 20 to 30 minutes. Cut the tenderloin crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick medallions. Slice each medaillon into 1/3-inch-wide strips.
• Combine the pork, 1 tsp fish sauce, and the soy sauce in a small bowl.
• Whisk the remaining 2 tbsp fish sauce, the chicken broth, lime juice, brown sugar, and cornstarch in a measuring cup.
• Combine garlic, lemon grass, red pepper flakes and 1 tbsp of the oil.
• Heat 1 1/2 tsps oil in a nonstick 12-inch skillet or in a wok over high heat until smoking; add half of the pork to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up the clumps, until well browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer pork to a bowl. Repeat with an additional 1 1/2 tsps oil and the remaining pork.
• Add 1 tbsp oil to the now-empty skillet or wok; add the asparagus and cook, stirring every 30 seconds, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the water, cover the pan, and lower the heat to medium. Steam the asparagus until tender-crisp, about 2 minutes; transfer the asparagus to the bowl with the pork.
• Add the remaining 1 1/2 tsps oil to the skillet or wok; add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown and soften, about two minutes.
• Clear the center of the skillet; add the garlic and lemon grass mixture to the clearing and cook, mashing the mixture with a spoon, until fragrant, about 1 minute, then stir the mixture into the onion. Return the pork and asparagus to the skillet and toss to combine. Whisk the sauce to recombine, then add to the skillet/wok; cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thickened and evenly distributed, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with the thai basil. Serve immediately.

STIR-FRIED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• In a nonstick skillet or a wok, heat the oil over high heat. Add the asparagus, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes. Add the water, and continue to cook until easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, about 3 minutes more.

PAN-FRIED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cook garlic in butter for a minute, but do not brown. Add asparagus, and cook for 10 minutes, turning asparagus to ensure even cooking.

HOW TO COOK ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Asparagus is best and freshest in spring from a local source. Generally, the West Coast season runs from February to May; East Coast asparagus appears in May and June. Asparagus from Peru is available year-round, of course, but it is not as good.At the market, look for spears that are brightly colored and have compact, tightly closed tips. Spears that are ridged or look dry have lost their flavor. Check the root ends to see how dried out they are; if they are truly brown, reach for a different bundle.For stovetop cooking, a stainless steel or enamel-coated cast-iron pot is best. If you're stir-frying, you'll need a wok or a deep-sided cast iron skillet. For roasting, use a baking sheet or a small roasting pan.Asparagus cooks quickly, so make sure to have all your ingredients ready by the stove. It's best served warm or room temperature; ice-cold asparagus is unpleasant.
• Asparagus comes in different shades and sizes, and each has its strengths. Here are some tips on how best to choose, clean and store it. There are three colors of asparagus: green, purple and white. Green asparagus is by far the most common and is available year-round in American supermarkets. You'll find thin, medium and fat green spears in almost any market. Whatever its thickness, green asparagus should be cooked al dente. White asparagus is more common in Europe. It is white because the plants are covered in mulch to prevent them from developing chlorophyll, which gives plants their green color. White asparagus must be completely peeled from tip to tail, and, unlike green, should be well-cooked. It is a mistake to cook green and white asparagus together. Purple asparagus has a beautiful violet skin that turns dark green when cooked. Its taste is similar to that of green asparagus. Asparagus usually comes in three sizes: Pencil-thin, medium and jumbo. The thickness of the asparagus does not indicate its maturity; a thin asparagus spear does not grow into a fat one. What you'll choose is based on personal preference and what you're cooking. Some describe thin spears as grassy or thicker ones as meaty.Thin asparagus is great for stir fries and sautéing. Fat asparagus is good for roasting or grilling, and best when you want to serve whole spears, even simply steamed. Medium spears work in almost any cooking method. Store your asparagus in your crisper drawer, wrapped in a damp paper towel and then in a plastic bag, no longer than three days. Do not clean it first. Or you can store asparagus upright in a container with an inch of water. Place it in the fridge, uncovered.
• Before you begin cooking, take a minute to snap or cut off the tough bottom ends of the asparagus. If you have nice fat spears, peel their tough skin away too. We'll show you how. Snapping off woody asparagus bottoms gives you spears of slightly different lengths, but guarantees no tough ends when you sit down to eat. To snap, hold a spear with both hands and find the natural bending point near the bottom of the stalk. Then snap. Make sure your hands really are near the bottom, or you risk discarding too much; a stalk will snap in the middle if you're not careful. The spear should break at a point where the asparagus has started to lose its moisture.Cutting your spears is fine as long as you take care to avoid the woody ends. (But please, don't use the discarded ends to make anything but compost.)The skin on larger asparagus spears doesn't soften with cooking, which is why it's best to peel the lower stalks of medium or fat spears, both green and purple. Always peel white asparagus.To peel, place the spear flat on your work surface. Using a vegetable peeler, preferably one with a swivel blade, peel the asparagus from about halfway up the spear toward the root end. Never peel the tips. Use a light hand, or you'll peel off too much of the sweet core. Asparagus can be peeled a few hours ahead of time, wrapped and refrigerated.
• Roasting asparagus allows for a slight caramelizing of the vegetable's skin, and it's just luscious. It's also a fast way to get delicious asparagus on the table without standing at the stove.Here's a very simple method for roasting that just requires olive oil, salt and pepper, but you can add other spices as well: cayenne, red pepper flakes or smoked salt. Or try chopped walnuts, a sprinkle of grated Parmesan and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.Heat your oven to 425 degrees, and dress asparagus spears lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread them on a baking sheet or in a roasting pan in one layer and roast until lightly browned and sizzling, and just firm-tender. If you are roasting on a baking sheet, that should take 10 to 12 minutes, or about 15 minutes in a heavy-bottomed roasting pan. The trick here is getting the spears nicely colored without overcooking them, and you should always err on the undercooked side - asparagus will continue to cook off the heat.
• Simply steamed or simmered asparagus is delicious, and you can dress the spears however you like: in a bagna cauda, or a mixture of lemon juice and olive oil, or nothing at all. These are very easy cooking methods, and any size spear will work, although medium is best. We'll also tell you how to blanch asparagus, a useful method when incorporating the vegetable into other dishes. It's easy to cook asparagus in a steamer. Bring one inch of well-salted water to boil in a pot with a steamer insert, and place the spears in the steamer in a single layer. (If necessary, work in batches; do not pile in the asparagus or try to cook too many at a time.) Cover the pot and cook for about 3 minutes, depending upon size of spears. Err on the undercooked side - asparagus will continue to cook off the heat. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon or tongs and blot the excess water away with a towel.Simmering asparagus is another easy way to cook asparagus quickly, and a good option if you don't own a steamer. In a wide pot, boil a few inches of generously salted water and add your asparagus. Cook at a rapid simmer for 2 to 4 minutes, depending on the size of your asparagus. Again, don't cook too many at one time; a dozen in the pot at once is plenty. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon or tongs and blot to remove any remaining water. Old recipes sometimes call for using twine to tie asparagus into bundles, to make it easier to retrieve them from the water. If you do, blot the cooked bundle, transfer to a platter and snip the twine with kitchen shears. Some recipes, such as spring pasta dishes, call for blanching asparagus. It's easy to do. In a wide pot, boil a few inches of generously salted water and add your asparagus, either whole stalks or cut into pieces. Cook at a rapid simmer for 1 minutes. Then immediately plunge the spears into a bowl of ice water to halt the cooking and to keep them green. Remove from ice water and blot, otherwise risk waterlogged asparagus.
• Tender, sweet asparagus can be delicious raw and dressed simply with olive oil, lemon and salt. And you don't even need to turn on your stove.Fat asparagus works best in raw preparations, like this fast recipe for a delicious asparagus salad.Using a sharp, thin-bladed knife, slice 6 to 8 fat asparagus spears very thinly on the diagonal. (Alternatively, you can cut them on a mandoline, or use a peeler to slice them lengthwise into long, thin ribbons.) Pile them into a bowl and dress with 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 3 tablespoons olive oil and a few pinches of salt. Toss and serve.
• Asparagus is great quickly stir-fried or sautéed over high heat. You could sauté spears in butter or olive oil with delicious results, but throwing some chopped herbs or sliced chiles into the pan adds wonderful flavor. Both of these methods produce juicy asparagus that retains its crunch.Thin spears are best for sautéeing or stir-frying. For Asian recipes, use a wok if you have one; otherwise, a cast-iron skillet or large sauté pan will work fine. Here's a simple method for spicy wok-fried asparagus (you can leave out the spicy elements if you wish): Cut 6 to 8 cleaned and trimmed medium asparagus spears into 2-inch lengths. In a wok or cast-iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil until nearly smoking. Add the asparagus to the wok or skillet, season generously with salt and pepper and cook about 2 minutes until it is bright green, stirring constantly and making sure that the asparagus is coated completely with oil. Then, add 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon grated ginger and one finely chopped serrano or other hot chile pepper. Cook for another 30 seconds or so, then transfer to a serving platter and scatter on top a handful of chopped fresh basil, mint or cilantro leaves (or all three.) And here's how to sauté asparagus: Heat a skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Cut 6 to 8 cleaned and trimmed medium asparagus spears into 2-inch lengths. Add olive oil or butter to pan; when hot, add asparagus, season generously with salt and pepper and cook about 3 to 4 minutes, until bright green, shaking or stirring the pan frequently. The key is to cook the asparagus just enough so that the exterior browns a bit, but the interior remains crunchy. Finish it with anything you like: a squeeze of lemon, a favorite sweet vinegar, a fistful of chopped herbs.
• Frying asparagus is easier than it sounds, and results in crispy, tender spears that you won't want to stop eating. Don't forget a good dipping sauce.You'll need a deep heavy-bottomed pot, like a Dutch oven, to make tempura, and a thermometer to test the temperature of your oil. Medium spears work best. Here's an easy method:In your heavy-bottomed pot on the stovetop, heat three inches or so of vegetable oil until it reaches 360 degrees. While it heats, in a bowl, combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 2 tablespoons corn starch and ½ teaspoon salt. In a separate bowl, combine 2 cups ice water and 2 eggs, lightly beaten, and then add that to the flour mixture. Mix it briefly with a fork or chopsticks, but do not overbeat; lumps are fine. Dip your cleaned, snapped asparagus spears in the batter and drop them gently in the hot oil. Fry for about two minutes, until the spears are just lightly browned. Remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon or tongs and drain on absorbent paper.

ASIAN ASPARAGUS BEEF STIR-FRY

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, water, broth, wine or additional broth and teriyaki sauce until smooth; set aside. , In a small skillet, stir-fry beef in 1 teaspoon oil for 3-4 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm., Stir-fry asparagus in remaining oil for 4-5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Stir cornstarch mixture and add to the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add beef; heat through. Serve with rice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

FRIED ASPARAGUS WITH CAESAR DRESSING

Steps:

• Combine the egg yolks, garlic, vinegar, pepper, anchovies, fish sauce (if using) and Tabasco in a bowl. Gradually whisk in the olive oil, a little at a time, until the mixture emulsifies and thickens. Add lemon juice to taste and water to thin to a creamy consistency.
• Meanwhile, heat about 1/2 inch of oil to 350 degrees in a skillet. Beat together the eggs and cream, and add a little salt and pepper. Dredge the asparagus and the scallions in flour, then egg, then bread crumbs, and fry, in batches if necessary, turning once, until nicely browned, about 5 minutes.
• Drain on paper towels, and arrange on plates; drizzle with the dressing, top with the Parmesan, and serve with lemon wedges.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS SPEARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spread out asparagus spears in a large shallow roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Shake roasting pan gently so asparagus is completely coated in oil.
• Roast in oven until spears are just tender. Cooking time will depend on thickness of asparagus, about 10 minutes for medium-thick asparagus. Pencil asparagus will take much less time; thick stalks will take more. Shake pan halfway through cooking time to keep spears from sticking. Just before serving, drizzle asparagus with olive oil and adjust seasoning.